Question: How many visions of heavenly beings did Joseph Smith actually have and what was the nature of their visits?

Joseph Smith was visited by a number of heavenly beings

Joseph Smith was visited by a number of heavenly beings. The following list includes known personages who appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith or who were seen by him in vision. The list does not include instances where he only heard supernatural voices, as in D&C 128:20–21.

It is true that the Prophet Joseph Smith was visited by many heavenly messengers who helped inaugurate this final dispensation. Though we do not know how many such messengers appeared to the Prophet—or the purpose of some of their visits—we do know the circumstances and the nature of many of these visits. Heavenly beings came to Joseph Smith to bestow priesthood keys, to unfold the majesty and glory of future events, and to warn or to admonish the maturing Prophet. Certainly to a remarkable degree the Prophet Joseph Smith received communication from an array of angels who helped prepare him to carry out his foreordained mission.

Three major points became apparent as I researched Joseph Smith's visions. First and perhaps most remarkable is the sheer number of visions the prophet received. The majority of these visions are not found in the standard works but pervade the prophets own history and the records kept by contemporaries who were present when a vision was received or when Joseph Smith spoke about his sacred communications. A major purpose of this study is to document those visions not generally known